Dyche: A Gr-eight Trip!

That was as hot an occasion that I can remember being involved in, but that is all part of the reality of getting yourself ready for a season."

Sean Dyche

Sean Dyche declared the pre-season tour to Austria a huge success following the 8-0 drubbing of local side FC Grosssklein.

New signings Marvin Sordell and Lukas Jutkiewicz opened their accounts with two goals each, while Ashley Barnes (2), Scott Arfield and Jason Gilchrist completed the rout in stifling conditions.

Lukas Jutkiewicz scores his first in Austria

And Clarets boss Dyche insisted the friendly was an ideal way to kick off their pre-season.

He said: “We needed a game and we thought this was appropriate and the lads went about it in the right manner, with a very good attitude.

“That was as hot an occasion that I can remember being involved in. There were a good number of Burnley fans here, which was fantastic, and they probably realised that too.

“It must have been 33 degrees and stifling, but that is all part of the reality of getting yourself ready for a season.

“There were some really good pockets of play and at this stage it’s really about giving them the game feel again.”

Dyche added: “We have got a very good, honest, respectful group here and I don’t think the new boys needed to settle in as players.

“We’ve found that happens very quickly with new signings, but they still want to go out and perform, especially in a game like that, when it’s low-key and the opposition are what they are.

“Players still want to do what they do, particularly strikers and for Lukas and Marvin to score is fantastic and both looked well and moulded well into the team.”

Marvin Sordell on target for the first time

The Clarets fly back into the UK later tonight following their seven-day stay in picturesque Bad Waltersdorf.

And Dyche is delighted at the application shown by the squad in their daily – and sometimes twice daily – training sessions, including the dreaded ‘gaffer’s day’.

He said: “It has been well worthwhile. We got the players in slightly earlier this season for testing and to make sure they are ready and their bodies are ready.

“Trust me, it’s a long pre-season, so to get away and have a trip just breaks up that period. They know when they go away they are going to work hard and they certainly did.

“It’s well documented that we like to do one very hard day when we are on tour. It was important to do that, because it’s about the mental and team building side of things, but that’s a one-off, just to test the players mentally and physically.

Ashley Barnes and Jason Gilchrist

“The rest of the time it’s all football fitness, but then it is important to have some game time, so we will get back home now and build towards the next game.

“The main tactical work will start once we get back.

“This early part of pre-season is physically-minded. They do a lot of football, but it is all built up around the physical side, to get that strong fitness base. When we get back to Burnley we will start building in the tactical side and how the team operates.”